Legendary jockey Frankie Dettori has been hospitalised after his car flipped over in a road traffic accident in Newmarket, Suffolk. The 55-year-old retired Italian rider was driving when another vehicle struck the rear passenger side of his car, causing it to spin and overturn.
Details of the Incident
According to his representatives, H Talent Management, the crash occurred on the evening of Wednesday, 1st July. Emergency services attended the scene and Dettori was taken to hospital, where he was diagnosed with a broken thumb and several broken ribs. He remains under observation for further scans and assessment.
In a statement, H Talent Management said: 'H Talent Management can confirm that Frankie Dettori was involved in a road traffic accident in Newmarket on the evening of Wednesday, 1st July. Another vehicle struck the rear passenger side of the car Frankie was driving, causing it to spin and flip. Frankie was taken to hospital, where he was found to have sustained several broken ribs and a broken thumb. His injuries are still being assessed, and he remains in hospital for further scans and observation. Frankie would like to thank the emergency services who attended the scene, together with the doctors, nurses and wider medical team caring for him. His focus is now on resting and recovering. H Talent Management respectfully asks that Frankie’s privacy is respected at this time. No further comment will be made until there is a meaningful update.'
Dettori's Illustrious Career
Dettori retired from racing earlier this year, ending a career spanning nearly 40 years. He is a three-time British flat racing Champion Jockey and won 288 Grade 1 races, cementing his status as one of the greatest figures in horse racing history. His finest achievement came at Ascot in October 1996 when he rode all seven winners at the race meeting. He last rode in Britain in October 2023, winning the Champion Stakes on King Of Steel at Ascot. After spending almost his entire life racing, he stepped away in November 2025 following the Breeders' Cup in the United States. Dettori, who was awarded an honorary MBE in the 2001 New Year's Honours, now lives in California with his family.
Previous Vehicular Incident
This is not the first time Dettori has been involved in a serious vehicular incident. In 2000, he survived a plane crash that killed pilot Patrick Mackey. The plane burst into flames shortly after take-off and crashed back to the ground. Dettori suffered a broken ankle and damaged his thumb, and was dragged out of the wreckage through the luggage compartment by his friend Ray Cochrane, who also survived. Police at the time described it as a 'miracle' that the two men survived. An investigation revealed that one of the propellers had hit the ground during take-off, causing the plane to arch right, hit an embankment, spin, and burst into flames.
